Big Lake is located in Northern Arizona just outside Greer, Arizona.
Big Lake is known for it’s trout fishing, and every year they stock it in fall with nearly half a million Rainbow and Cutthroat trout fingerlings that grow up and behave like wild trout.
Since these fish grow up in the lake they behave differently than the trout that are seasonally stocked in the phoenix area.
My preferred method is to rent a boat at the shop there and go out on the lake with rooster tails, spoons and spinners.
All 3 of those you’ll want to cast out towards the shore or a feeding area and just do a slow steady retrieve back.
That’s all there is to it. The lake is stocked very well if you aren’t catching fish switch lures or move to a slightly different spot.
Depending on the time of day you’ll want to go deeper. If it’s a hot day and it’s been hot go deeper. If it’s cold out and the water is cold go to the shallow areas where the trout can corner the bait fish in shallow water.
When using a lure always look for small minnows and baitfish swimming in the water.
Cast so that you can drag your lure through the school of baitfish. Trout eat baitfish and wherever they are you’ll find trout.
If you’re fishing from the shore the same lures will work, but I’d take advantage of Arizona’s two pole privilege and throw another baited hook out there.
To use bait I recommend using a floating powerbait with a splitshot about 6-18 inches above the hook so that the bait floats off the bottom.
The other alternative that I prefer, because I’ve had better results is to use a night crawler and a bobber.
Situate your bobber about 12-36 inches above the worm and get it out there.
Worms work really well up in the white mountains, because the fish are used to them there naturally.
In fact, if you buy night crawlers in Arizona they probably came from the White Mountains.
If you’re fly fishing I like to watch the water if I see trout surfacing I’ll throw a dry fly otherwise I try a few different streamers.
When picking a lure, fly or streamer always remember bright day bright lure, dark day dark lure. Clear water flashy lure and murky water noisy lure.
Have fun and remember to pick up after yourself so we can continue to enjoy Big Lake.
Check out Trout Fishing on the Salt River
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The Rocky Outdoorsman 